NC State Wolfpack Offensive Scouting Report

Impact Players:

WR/RB KC Concepcion

QB MJ Morris and Brennan Armstrong

NC State is on a 3 game winning streak that has been lead by this multiple attack from the Wolfpack offense. They use a 2 QBs the Hokies are quite familiar with. MJ Morris, who the Hokies faced last year against NC State, and UVA transfer Brennan Armstrong. MJ Morris is listed as the starter, but Armstrong was their leading passer in the 26-6 win over Wake Forest last week. Armstrong typically enters the game as a change up/wildcat QB. They run many designed runs with him. Both QBs have good arms and are not afraid to throw deep. They rely heavily on the run game and most passes come from play action fakes. One note on Morris: he struggles against the blitz. Typically, if his first read is not their, he tucks and runs, especially when he gets pressure.

The true focal point of this offense is true freshman, Concepcion. He is listed as a wide receiver on the NC State roster, but he does everything for them. They try to get Concepcion the ball in every way possible. They hand it off to him out of the backfield, give it to him on jet sweeps, reverses, screens, and sometimes they even do a direct snap to him in the wildcat. They run all sorts of trick plays to get him in space. The two plays below are good examples of their creative play calling to get Concepcion the ball.

On this play, they hand it off to Concepcion on a jet sweep out of a swinging gate formation with the offensive line lined up all the way to the left. This is one way NC State spreads the field to give their playmaker space.

Here they give Concepcion the ball on a reverse for a huge gain. He is elusive in open space and is their top playmaker. As Concepcion goes, so do the Wolfpack. Stopping Concepcion will need to be Virginia Tech's top priority this Saturday.

This offense plays tough, smash-mouth football, but also give a defense a lot to think about at the same time. With an offense like this, you cannot sit back and react to what they are doing. You must attack them and take them out of their game. The defense will need to communicate pre-snap on every play where Concepcion is lined up and sound in their assignment. An offense that runs these types of plays, they are looking for one defender to slip up and leave their gap. Play disciplined and make a mess of the line scrimmage will be the keys to stopping NC State. If the Hokie defense does those two things, they should see great success.